Senior Ladies Outcome--as Predicted by USFS

I happened to look at the ISU's 4CC entry list and beheld an interesting list of 8 names. Keep in mind that the ISU required USFS to nominate 8 ladies for its competitors and alternates BEFORE Nationals (I think by early January). The actual selections are of course, TBA pending outcome of the competition, but the list of 8 candidates is interesting for who it has on it and doesn't have on it. Due to timing, there was likely to be no way that an Olympic team member would be sent to 4CC, so this list represents a group that the USFS didn't expect to be on the podium = didn't expect to be possibilities for the Olympics.

Possible 4CC ladies (alphabetical) as submitted by the USFSA: Bereswill, Bulanhagui, Dobbs, Gao, Gilles, Maxwell, Nagasu, Zhang. As I understand ISU rules, the team must come from this list. I'm not surprised at 6 names on the list, but Bulanhagui and Dobbs did surprise me....clearly the USFS has been monitoring more than just the most well-known 5-6 contenders.

Also not on is Liang (guess USFS has pretty much given up on her), Hughes and Cohen (both of whom wouldn't be tapped for 4CC anyway due to their other life commitments and almost certain lack of interest in going to any competition other than the Olympics.)

However, I think that should somebody on the list (i.e. Mirai Nagasu) finish #1 or a strong #2, I don't think the USFS would hesitate at all to send her to Olympics and scratch her from 4CC.

They may have asked Czisny, Flatt and Wagner if they wanted to do Four Continents and they said no regardless of what happens about the Olympic team.

I thought about that, but I think that scenario is highly unlikely, except possibly in the case of Alissa if she is going to retire after this season anyway. For the other two, a turn-down would have been a politically unwise thing to do if they intend to keep skating competitively--and neither Flatt nor Wagner has enough intl achievement or reputation gravitas yet to get away with that sort of response to the USFSA. But I doubt USFS even put the question to any of them.

Maybe just trying to give some other girls a shot as 4CC results don't matter much.

I have a question though, will Sasha definitely not go to worlds if she wins 1st or 2nd? I'm kinda hoping that Mirai will get to go to Worlds this year. Obviously I want her at the Olympics but if she were to come in say 3rd and Sasha was 1st or 2nd and didn't want to go, Mirai would be the logical one to send to worlds. That would still be exciting for her!

They may have asked Czisny, Flatt and Wagner if they wanted to do Four Continents and they said no regardless of what happens about the Olympic team.

All the top skaters were asked in advance of creating the 4C lists if they would go to 4C if selected. Anyone who said yes before Nationals and then turns down a berth potentially screws over another skater. (Think pairs, hint, hint).